Overview
Carolyn is an Actress, Educator, and Producer originally from Washington DC. She received her BA in Theater Performance from Fordham University at Lincoln Center, and later received her post-graduate degree in Drama from Juilliard.
As an Actress, Carolyn is currently starring on the Paramount+, award-winning series: “THE CHI” (Seasons 5 and 6) as DEJA, as well as the forthcoming Season 3 of HBOMAX series: “And Just Like That”. Select TV credits include: “Russian Doll”, “House of Cards”, “Law and Order”, “Luke Cage”, “How to Get Away w/ Murder”, “The Oath”, “Notorious” and “Cherish the Day”. Film credits include: “He’s Way More Famous Than You”, directed by Michael Urie, “Reboot Camp”, “Sunny Daze”, and “Tankhouse”. This Fall she stars in the premiere of independent feature film “Familiar Touch” directed by Sarah Friedland. As a producer she currently has a feature in development with FandoModo Films in Los Angeles.
As an Educator, Carolyn has recently served as Co-Director of Lena Waithe’s Hillman Grad Mentorship Lab in Hollywood leading a cohort of emerging BIPOC actors, writers, and creative execs. She has led and developed curriculum for Harlem School of The Arts, Los Angeles Performing Arts Conservatory, and The Shakespeare Society in NYC to name a few. Guiding actors through audition technique and performance, Carolyn now operates AspireHigher Coaching Services, Inc. providing one-on-one and on-set coaching in New York and LA.
She is a founding member of the Juilliard Black Alumni Association (JBAA), providing support to current black students in the Juilliard Drama Division, as well as recent alums, and coaches actors privately through her company AspireHigher Coaching.
As the entertainment landscape shifts, Carolyn Michelle Smith guides from the intersection of artistry, empowerment, and antiracism, drawing from her rich Trinidadian heritage and her commitment to elevating diverse voices.
In the news
- PMA Podcast Episode 60 - Carolyn Michelle Smith, Visiting Lecturer
- Call for Scripts: PMA Studios
- BIOphelia: A Performance-Infused Scholarship Symposium
- PMA Visiting Lecturer Carolyn Michelle Smith Starring in New Film "Familiar Touch" Set to Premiere at Venice International Film Festival